I had a rival named Enoch Gray.
He was someone who, with an empty gaze, seemed uninterested in the world, yet grew stronger by the day.
A once-in-a-generation genius who always stayed one step ahead of me.
“If I want to defeat Enoch Gray, just doing this won’t be enough. No matter how hard I struggle to do what he can, it won’t work.”
“…Dame Cherrya.”
“Cherrya.”
Finally, people began to acknowledge my struggles and approached me, one by one.
“Let me hug you.”
“I want to hug you too.”
“Me too!”
They all encircled me and hugged me tightly.
I could feel that everyone cherished, loved, and cared for me.
There was the smell of sweat, the sweet scent of their breath, and the warmth radiating from them.
“Ah, everyone, back off!! You all smell!!”
Unable to bear it any longer, I pushed each one away, and only then did they reluctantly step back, wiping their noses.
“Anyway, I feel like I’m slowly grasping something. At first, when I faced Senior Henry, I couldn’t last long, but with Lucas, I managed to hold on for a decent amount of time.”
“That’s true. It did seem like you were getting more precise.”
Senior Osric, who observed three sparring matches as a referee whenever he wasn’t participating, nodded in agreement with me.
It felt as if I was on the verge of understanding something.
Clenching and then relaxing my fist, I said,
“If I could spar just one more time, I feel like I’d understand something….”
I tried to focus on the total strength in my muscles, the overall power I possessed, and the pulsation of my heart every time I swung my sword.
Just before Lucas’s wooden sword broke my own wooden sword, I felt a moment where my body and sword became one, as if connected.
The heat that flowed through my veins seemed to travel to the very tip of my sword.
It was brief but incredibly exhilarating.
If I could just get addicted to this sensation, I felt I could wield a sword for the rest of my life.
“Who wants to spar with me one more time?”
At my cautious suggestion, everyone started looking around at each other.
“Well, if no one’s willing, I’ll just practice by myself….”
Thinking they might be hesitant to try out a new technique, I was about to say it was okay when…
“Me!!!!!”
Lucas, who had been crying just a moment ago, raised his hand high, shouting.
Not wanting to be outdone, others began raising their hands as well.
“Me!! I just need to win once!”
“Please, Dame Cherrya, pick me!”
“Senior Cherrya!!!! Even though I’m just a rookie knight, I’m ready to risk my life!”
“I’d risk my life twice over!”
The training grounds of Emblem were thrown into chaos in an instant.
The competition to be my sparring partner soon turned into physical scuffles.
“If you’ve already sparred, step back!”
“You step back! You sparred last time!”
“Senior, you should give the juniors a chance! Isn’t it time to nurture the next generation?”
“Who are you to raise your voice, rookie?”
The competition grew so intense that it spiraled out of control.
“Guys, seniors….”
Though I tried to speak up, no one was listening.
Is this what they mean by a scarcity amid abundance? I only needed one person, yet with everyone volunteering, I couldn’t find a single suitable opponent.
“Everyone else, scram. I’m first.”
“……Huph.”
“……!!!!!”
At that moment, the person who quelled the chaos was my grandfather who had somehow joined the group unnoticed.
After watching the group training, he’d taken a brief break and had just returned.
All the knights who had been fighting for the chance to spar with me fell silent.
“What do you say, my child? Would you like to spar with this old man?”
“Oh my gosh. Unbelievable.”
I raised my hand, covering my mouth in awe. I felt a mixture of gratitude and wonder. Which of the two words best captured my emotions at that moment?
Everyone looked back and forth between grandfather and me, their eyes filled with envy.
A Swordmaster offering a sparring session? This was like having a top tutor personally coach you while giving away exam answers.
“Wow, wow! This is amazing!”
I jumped up and down with excitement.
Of course, back when I was seven and just learning to hold a sword, my grandfather would occasionally help me with my training.
But back then, I barely knew anything about swordsmanship; I was just focused on learning the basics, so the Swordmaster’s guidance wasn’t as impactful.
Eventually, as my grandfather went on long trips and only returned once a year for my birthday, his personal guidance stopped altogether.
“This is unbelievable… truly unbelievable…”
But now things were different.
I needed someone who could help me test my breakthrough and confirm the correct techniques, and in the entire Emblem Order, no one could teach me better than my grandfather.
A sparring session with a Swordmaster.
My heart started pounding like crazy.
“Jealous? Are you jealous?”
With a face full of excitement, I teased the others.
“Eek!”
“…So annoying!”
Their red-faced glares were so amusing that I chuckled, shrugging my shoulders. But the moment was short-lived.
“After Cherrya, it’s your turn. Especially those staying after the mission to escort His Highness the Crown Prince. You lot are getting special training.”
With my grandfather’s declaration, my momentary privilege vanished like the wind.
“Thank you!!”
“It’s an honor!!!!!”
“We love you!”
Seeing the knights cheering, I gave my grandfather a thumbs-up.
“What’s going on?!”
Then Senior Henry, who had run away earlier after his crush on Jessia was discovered, came running over.
“……….”
“……….”
Everyone looked at each other in silence, communicating with their eyes without saying a word.
“Hey, Henry, you’re in trouble.”
“What? Why? What did I do?”
“That’s what you get for running away. We all got personal swordsmanship lessons from the master.”
“What?!”
Senior Henry’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“The moment you ran off, Grandfather came over, gave everyone swordsmanship guidance, and then left. Too bad you didn’t get here sooner.”
“This… can’t… be happening…”
Senior Henry, trembling, looked over at Grandfather with despair in his eyes. Grandfather, on the same wavelength as the rest of us, gave a quiet nod. Instantly, Senior Henry collapsed to his knees.
“Aaaaaah!!!”
His anguished scream filled the Emblem training grounds, full of despair for missing out on the Swordmaster’s guidance.
“This is all Cherrya’s fault!”
“No, Senior, you ran away, so why blame Dame Cherrya?”
“Such a weak man!”
“A man destined to be rejected by Jessia!”
Everyone threw out taunts at Senior Henry, who was blaming me. Surprised by everyone siding with me, he blinked, looking confused.
“What’s with you all? Weren’t you going to tattle to the Commander?”
“What nonsense? Hey, your mouth! Close it!”
“Ow, ow, ow!”
Jack smacked Senior Henry’s lips with his palm. Even though it was insubordinate, Senior Henry, stunned, took it without resistance.
“We’re just joking, Senior Henry. Grandfather said he’ll give everyone individual guidance from now on.”
“W-what? Really?”
“Yes.”
“I love you, Cherrya!!!!!”
Senior Henry puckered his lips and ran toward me.
He looked like he was aiming to kiss me, making me instinctively cringe.
As I dodged away in disgust, there was a thud, and Senior Henry flew across the grounds, rolling into the distance.
Not a single cry escaped him.
“Tsk. That guy is so annoying.”
It was Grandfather. He had sent Senior Henry flying with a single blow and was now looking at me as if to ask if I was ready.
“We don’t have time to waste, so let’s get started.”
“Yes, Grandfather!”
